Ditto the others - I am a self-employed opera singer and my EIN was all they needed. They asked for the official business name and I just said voice studio. Membership is free, so it’s well worth the price! 
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We have a food business but the RD info is from my construction company. They didn’t care. I Imagine you could say you’re a sole proprietor & use your SS#.
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I have a freelancer status, normally I should only have access to the office equipment, not the food part, but they don’t really care. Before I applied for my own card, I borrowed the card from my neighbour to enter Metro, a German chain present in European market.
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Thanks to all of you for the info. I’ll try to get a membership after the holiday season madness is over. Should have a working fridge by then and be able to take advantage of some good buys!
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Are you really an opera singer, or was that a joke that went way over my head?
The other day I got 10# of fresh ground beef (80/20) for $1.60#. That was good and before Xmas I got a giant Eye Round for #2,04 #. The thing was close to 10# - I seriously never saw one even close to that big before.
So nobody had problems providing only an EIN online? This “rule” on the membership page has been scaring me off:
“Restaurant Depot is wholesale only. To qualify for a free membership account, on your first visit you need to show a valid reseller’s permit (business license) or tax-exempt certificate (for a non-profit organization) and show proof that you are authorized to purchase for said business or organization.”
I have an EIN for my business but I do not have a reseller’s permit or tax exempt certificate. How did you opera singers and construction business folk deal with this?
I’m a consumer psychologist and have my own consulting practice. All I have is an EIN. I just walked in, gave them my EIN - no questions, no problems, all set.
I think the other stuff deals with buying tax exempt since you are reselling but even if not, it was super simple.
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I can tell you they don’t give a hoot. They just want you to buy stuff, al lot of stuff
Except alcohol! I wanted a bottle of frangelico for truffles the other day but they wouldn’t sell it to me without a liquor license. No doubt this varies by state, I’m in WA, and I think I should be able to get a license to re-sell alcohol and avoid the taxes
, just haven’t bothered beacause I only buy a few bottles a year.
alcohol is more regulated
I believe the requirement for the EIN & etc. is so they can say ‘Not Open To The Public’ Not because there is some regulation over what the customers buy. EXCEPT liquor and tax exempt.
No reseller’s permit or tax exempt certificate required. All you need is an EIN. The only trouble I had was that I didn’t have the letter from the IRS stating “this is her EIN” with me when I went to sign up. They gave me a one-day pass to shop that day, and I brought that letter next time to get my official card. They truly don’t care what type of business it is, just as long as you have an EIN. Liquor is the exception - can’t get to that without a liquor license.
And even that may change from state to state. I just gave them my EIN and they looked it up online.
Go for it! Don’t be scared, they want the business and will walk you through anything you may need.
I like having the option, but honestly I still shop CostCo WAY more often than I go to RD.
Same, but there are things at the Restaurant Depot that I can’t get at Costco. Convenient for me, the Restaurant Depot is just a mile or so past the Costco so I can knock them both out at the same time. A stop at the Market Basket in Chelsea and I have hit the trifecta of food procurement.
Well that is kind of the point of the thread. What do you get at RD that you feel you can’t get at somewhere like Costxo?
Flats of San Pellegrino that are all one flavor, flats of iced tea, Mexican coke, large boxes of sugar packets, large boxes of instant oatmeal, food-safe storage containers, sheet pans, squeeze bottles, Leidy All-Beef Sausages, variety of seafood, and some serving items. The meat and cheese areas have always been so busy that I haven’t investigated as much as I would like.
There are several things I’ve discovered at RD that Costco (or my other supermarket) doesn’t carry. Here’s a list of my RD-only favorites thus far (I’ve only made 3 trips): 40% fat cream, Leidy’s brand thick-cut bacon (SO FAR SUPERIOR to Kirkland or the one other brand my Costco carries), certain spices in large quantity, 6-in-1 canned tomatoes, whole dried chiles, Calabro ricotta, Cryovac’ed flank steak and whole flap meat (many other cuts too), Chaokoh coconut milk, a wider variety of frozen meats/seafood, pre-peeled shallots. I haven’t fully investigated the cooking utensils section but I anticipate getting good deals on sheet pans, storage containers and more.
I didn’t find their prices for kitchen supplies better than online. If I can order online and have it deliver for free I’m there
Things that I buy that are priced better than Costco?
Bread Flour
Kosher Salt
Potato Stix (not for me)
Frozen hash Brown Patties
Boneless Chicken Breast (currently $0.99 #)
Salt Cod
Potatoes (Red & White)
Beets
Cabbage
Heavy Cream
Cheese & Deli meat (I have my own slicer)
Spinach
Spices when they’re on sale
Almond Extract
Cottage Cheese
Buttermilk
A lot of this stuff Costco just doesn’t carry and I can’t bring myself to pay grocery store prices. I also buy a lot of beef there but it just depends on what’s on sale that month. For example, I got the pork loins for New Years Day Pork & Sauerkraut there for $1.34#. When I find Briskets on sale - often for $1.89# - I buy them & corn them.
